Discovering us for the first time? Did you know that all of Brandon's adult fiction entries are all set in the same universe? It's true! They are all in a universe called the cosmere, sharing the same mythology, rules to magic, and more. Some reading you might want to check out as an introduction:

Featured Article: Jezrien

“We chose this burden willingly. Well, we can choose to drop it if we wish.
”

—Jezrien on the Oathpact

Jezrien, also known as Jezerezeh'Elin and Yaezir, was one of the ten Heralds of The Almighty and the patron of the Order of Windrunners. Jezrien fought in multiple Desolations, defending humankind from the Voidbringers and returning to Damnation between Desolations to be tortured. After centuries of combat, Jezrien abandoned the Oathpact with eight of the other Heralds, pretending the Voidbringers had been defeated once and for all. He went into hiding, gradually losing his mind, while the rest of the world revered his memory and he became a figure of legend over the following millennia.

Personality

“ Better that one man should suffer than ten.
”

— Jezrien's response to Taln's abandonment

Jezrien is widely believed to have been one of the best men to have ever lived. Upon joining the Oathpact, he was an honorable and true man. Jezrien's specialty was leadership; he was a great instructor on the guidance of men. After centuries of torture, Jezrien became damaged by anguish and grief. He was afraid to return to Braize and face the torments of the Voidbringers again. This led Jezrien to make the choice to abandon the Oathpact and leave Taln alone on Braize. He had even reached such a point that he was willing to lie to all of mankind to make them believe that he and the other Heralds had achieved their victory. He seemed distraught by his own cowardice at the ending of the Oathpact and ashamed to be leaving Taln to suffer.

In the millennia that followed, he succumbed to insanity himself. By the Era of Solitude, Jezrien's once sharp mind had been dulled thoroughly. He speaks nonsensically and without any clear meaning behind what he says. He seems to have some semblance of lucidity, referencing the various Unmade, but it is uncertain how much awareness he still has. It is also unclear how much of his disorientation is the result of drunkenness and what is the result of his madness. He also appears to speak in gibberish at times, but it is possible that he is speaking in an ancient language, such as the Dawnchant.